Apparatus for assembling and locking together various portions of bed frames have typically utilized either two or three-point connections at each corner of a bed for joining a mattress support, frame, or spring assembly to head or foot support frames. In the typical three-point connection, a pair of rigid connectors extend between brackets on the various portions of the bed while the mattress side rail or like portion is wedged in place against either the head or foot frame or a portion of the opposing bracket. Alternatively, three rigid connectors extend into tapered slots such that when weight is placed on the mattress support, the connectors are tightly wedged into the slots. Although being quite rigid and secure, such three-point connections have typically been very difficult to assemble and disassemble, requiring either two persons or a great deal of time if only one person is making the assembly.
Prior known two-point connections between bed frame portions, while being easier to assemble, have been somewhat loose, sloppy, and generally less secure than the three-point connections. In such apparatus, a pair of rigid connectors spaced apart along opposing brackets on the various bed frame portions are provided to join the frame sections together either with or without wedging of the mattress or side rail against any other portion. Such two-point connectors are generally less durable, have a shorter life span than do more rigid connectors, and fail to provide any simplification of conventional assembly procedures.
With either prior known connectors, the typical assembly technique is to hold the head or foot frame generally upright while at each end of each side rail is successively lifted and joined to the head or foot frame. Often, especially with heavier, more durable beds such as hospital beds which may be either manual or electric, head or foot frames are bulky and heavy and difficult for a single person to maintain upright while the mattress support is assembled thereto. Accordingly, the presence of two persons is often required necessitating inconvenience and greater expense for assembly.
The present invention overcomes these problems and provides a strong, secure, tight connection apparatus for portions of bed frames as well as a method for assembly of such apparatus which allows a single person to easily and quickly assemble even heavy, large, and bulky bed frames.